Tape start objection dismissed
In truth he had a point, because the tape start was a bit of a shambles with Burke, on Archie Stoute, the worst sufferer. Archie Stoute was last away, as Burke glanced behind to see if the starter was going to signal a false start.
The signal never came, Archie Stoute was pulled up after a furlong, and the rest of the field continued on their merry way.
Burke went through the motions of lodging his objction, but it was no surprise when it was dismissed.
The stewards, after viewing the video and considering the evidence, forwarded the matter to the Turf club for further investigation.
John Oxx’s newcomer, Parshawar, was all the rage in the market, finding 4-6 from 11-10. But he proved no match for Dermot Weld’s On The Horizon.
This filly had run a nice race at Tralee previously and clearly came on plenty for the experience.
Pat Smullen, who is riding out of his skin, drove her ahead early in the straight. Pashawar soon threw down a challenge, but On The Horizon had plenty in the locker, battling on dourly to score decisively in the end.
Said Smullen: “She handled the ground real well and, hopefully, will improve for this.”
Austin Leahy’s Kompressor, a bit unlucky earlier in the week when third to Contradiction, redressed the balance in the Mermaids Handicap.
The winner was slowly away and was last of the eleven runners in the early stages. But the capable Helen Keohane didn’t panic and gradually made up her ground.
Kompressor got a dream run in the straight and forged clear inside the furlong pole to beat Nathan Jones by three lengths.
Not for the first time Leahy remarked: “She rides well. He’s a nice horse, but I have no plans.”
Keohane has now ridden 25 winners in total and eight of them have been for Leahy.
Killultagh Storm produced a fine exhibition of jumping and staying power, under a positive Shay Barry drive, to beat odds-on favourite Go Roger Go in the Southampton Goodwill Chase.
Fifth behind Native Performance in the Kerry National on Wednesday, the winner stripped fit and well and had the market leader’s measure from well before the third last.
Said trainer, Willie Mullins: “Going back in trip was the key, he didn’t get home in the National.
“He wore cheekpieces for the first time the other day and I was very happy with the way he performed in them, so I left them on. He will now head for the Paddy Power meeting at Cheltenham in November.”
John Oxx’s Happy Story was the one most punters wanted in the first division of the Dillon Plant Hire Maiden, finding 5-4 from 6-4.
She was hampered a little on the first bend, but held every chance early in the straight and simply couldn’t raise her tempo.
Victory went to Michael Halford Royal Devotion, who powered past the always prominent Outside Investor with less than a furlong to run to win snugly.
Billy Lee gave the tough Camargue a terrific ride to beat Sheer Tenby, and the formidable Seamus Heffernan, in a driving finish to the Jet O’Carroll Memorial Handicap.
The pair went toe-to-toe from the final turn, with Camargue just getting the best of a smashing battle. It was Lee’s 14th succcess of the season.
There was a sting in the tail for him, however, and he was suspended for two days, and ordered to attend R.A.C.E for one days tuition, having been found guilty of using his whip with excessive frequency.
After Mocharamor had landed the John J Galvin Maiden Hurdle, Charlie Swan was inclined to think it was his first ever winner as a trainer at the Festival. Favourite, City Storm, led before six out and turned for home full of running. But he was soon pulled up by Timmy Murphy, having broken down.
The winner and Don’t Call Me John were left to fight it out and it was David Casey’s mount who held all the aces in the final hundred yards.
Michael Hourigan, out of luck with City Storm, was in the winner’s enclosure after the next contest, the Bumper, when Almier, strongly handled by Richard Harding, kicked away at the half mile pole and then stayed on dourly to resist favourite, Spike and Divel.
Cathy Gannon was the second lady rider of the afternoon to prove successful, guiding Frosty Wind to land the Harp Lager Handicap. Irene Oakes’ gelding made all, shooting clear with over a furlong to go to easily beat Take Flite.
